Published : 30 Jul 2026, 03:23 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:28 AM
The special parliamentary committee on constitutional amendments is set to hold its first meeting, even as disagreement persists over whether the process should be described as reforms or amendments in order to implement the July National Charter.
The committee, led by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, will meet in parliament.
Committee member Andaleeve Rahman Partho told bdnews24.com the meeting had been scheduled for Aug 4.
The 12-member special committee was formed on Jul 13, two days before the end of parliament's second session, with Salahuddin as chairman.
The Opposition walked out of parliament that day in protest, accusing the government of ignoring the referendum verdict in forming the committee.
Although five seats were reserved for the Opposition, Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party (NCP) and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis have not nominated members.
The parties have argued in parliament that they do not accept the committee's conceptual basis and therefore see no reason to join it.
The BNP says the Opposition can still join the committee at any time if they nominate members.
The committee was initially planned with 17 members, including five from the Opposition.
After Opposition parties declined to submit names despite repeated requests, parliament approved a 12-strong panel, leaving the five Opposition seats vacant until nominations are received.
Its members are Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman, State Minister for Land and Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Helal Uddin, State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin, BNP lawmakers Zainul Abedin, Shakila Farzana and Mahmudul Haque Rubel, Ganosamhati Andolon lawmaker Zonayed Saki, Bangladesh Jatiya Party lawmaker Partho, Gono Odhikar Parishad lawmaker Nurul Haque and Islami Andolan Bangladesh lawmaker Md Oli Ullah.
Jamaat parliamentary spokesperson Nazibur Rahman said on Wednesday evening the party would not nominate anyone to the committee.
"We will not join the committee," he said, adding that the party would still have the opportunity to express its position in parliament.
Nazibur said the government had already pledged to implement the July Charter in full and that Jamaat wanted to see whether it honoured that commitment.
Chief Whip Moni said Jamaat members could be added whenever the party submitted names, after which parliament would be asked to approve the revised committee.
Jamaat had proposed forming a constitutional reform committee instead of an amendment committee, but the government rejected the proposal.
During the second session of parliament, Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman said the party did not conceptually accept the constitutional amendment committee.
Committee member Moni told bdnews24.com on Wednesday night that the Aug 4 meeting would focus on introductory discussions.
The agenda for further discussion would be known only after the first meeting, he added.
A 35-member committee, headed by Dr Kamal Hossain, was formed on Apr 11, 1972 to draft Bangladesh's Constitution.
The Constitution has since been amended under different governments.
Demands for state reform intensified after the Awami League government was ousted on Aug 5, 2024, which grew out of the July Uprising's quota reform movement.
After the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took charge, it launched reform initiatives across 11 sectors, including the Constitution, judiciary, police, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), electoral system and public administration.
Following prolonged talks, dialogue and debate with political parties over the recommendations of these commissions, the July Charter was adopted on Oct 17 last year in the presence of then chief advisor Yunus.
President Mohammed Sahabuddin subsequently issued the "July National Charter (Constitution Reform) Implementation Order" in November, under which a referendum ordinance was issued.
The referendum was held on Feb 12 alongside the general election, with about 69 percent voting in favour of constitutional reform.
Under the president's order, MPs were required to also take oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council.
However, BNP candidates, who won 209 seats, took their oath only as MPs and not as council members, while 77 members of the Jamaat-led alliance took both oaths separately.
